Deliberate Crash Aborts Valley West Robbery Attempt – December 20, 2012
The truck the victim said he deliberately crashed. APD Photo
APD Press Release
VALLEY WEST – On Wednesday, Dec. 19,at approximately 3 p.m., officers from the Arcata Police Department responded to the report of a vehicle collision at Days Inn Motel, 4701 Valley West Blvd.
Upon the officers’ arrival, they discovered a black Toyota Tacoma truck had slammed into the rear of a parked Chevy Tahoe. The driver of the Toyota advised officers that he was the victim of a robbery and kidnapping.
The victim had been staying at the motel with a female acquaintance for the past couple of days. A few minutes prior to the collision, the female accompanied by two men who were unknown to the victim, barged into the motel room brandishing knives. The trio demanded the victim take them to his storage unit where they believed he had money.
The victim and the female got into his Toyota truck where the female demanded he drive to the storage unit. The two male accomplices were to follow them in another vehicle. Upon leaving the parking lot of the motel, the victim rapidly accelerated the Toyota truck and purposely collided with the parked Tahoe in the hopes the collision would foil the robbery and bring the police.
Patrice Denise Denham
Immediately after the collision, the two male accomplices fled on foot. The victim struggled with the female until she was able to break free and run to her vehicle which was still in the parking lot. The female then fled the scene in her vehicle.
The female suspect has been identified as 29-year-old Patrice Denise Denham of Dallas, Texas. Denham’s vehicle is a 2009 red Honda Civic. The vehicle has a Texas temporary plate number of 64R4424.
The first male accomplice is described as a white male adult in his twenties wearing a red hooded sweatshirt and blue jeans.
The second male accomplice is described as a white male adult in his twenties wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and black jeans.
Anyone having information on this robbery, the whereabouts of Denham or the identity of her male accomplices is encouraged to call the Arcata Police Department at (707)822-2424 or leave an anonymous tip at the Arcata Police Department’s Crime Tip Line at (707)825-2588.
Photos available on the Arcata Police Department Facebook page. http://www.facebook.com/arcatapd?ref=ts&fref=ts
